Running
by Val your pal
Summary: Bellas dad messes with the wrong criminal, now Bella is threatened and Charlie assigns her a bodyguard, Edward, together they go into hiding to keep Bella safe. Will they be safe? or will they have to keep running? I'm awful at summaries, M for safety. Bella x Edward story
1. Chapter 1

**Story is mine, the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer**

**I have no clue where I'm taking the characters so pardon me for the mistakes I'm sure to make. **

**I apologize for the errors I'm sure to have, I wish I had a beta reader to help me out this, but I have no clue how to get one. **

**Bella**

**Present**

My name is Isabella Swan, I mostly go by Bella, I'm 19 years old, and I live in Santa Barbara, California. I love it here. I live in a large house along with my Dad, Charlie, when he's actually home. He's away most of the time in meetings. He's a lawyer who specializes on cases against murderers, suspect or attempt of murder as well as kidnappings. He was always telling me he seeks justice for the families of the victims, something I now understand. He would make up by letting me arrange the house however I wanted and pretty much do what I wanted as long as it was within the range of logic, all that and video chatting with me once a week to catch up. My mother you ask? Well, she died when I was 3, I don't actually remember much of her.

Currently he was taking a case against James Martin who has been on trial for about 4 years and no one has been able to pile enough evidence against him before they quit. Dad had been at it for a few weeks and believed that he was starting to build a solid case against him. You see, James is, well, WAS, a doctor, before he was accused of murder of various patients of his and others disappearing until one of the family members filed a suit that her brother had been healthy and had simply gone in to fix a broken bone before dying a week later.

But that's not what I'm here to talk about, what I'm here to tell you in my story.

**September 13, 2013**

"Happy Birthday, Bells! I'm sorry I'm not there today; you know how big this case is for me, that bastard has got to pay for what he's done. He thinks he can get away with it but I just know that there's something he did not cover, I know he did it and I'm very close to proving it. Anyways, call me when you get this. I love you, Bells."

I sigh. I missed Dad, I did, but sometimes he could really grind my gears. This was the 3rd time he wasn't here for my birthday. I didn't resent him for it, I just wish he was here; we could go out to eat the local diner, watch a movie and eat a gallon of ice cream like he had always done before. I glanced at the time on top of my phone. 8:06 a.m. That's just too damn early to function. It was a Friday and since I decided to take my senior year via online classes, I didn't have to actually go to school today, which I actually enjoyed a lot.

I after lying in bed for another half an hour, I finally decide to get up and fix myself to breakfast.

As I head down stairs and towards the kitchen, the doorbell rings. I run over to the door, half expecting it to be my best friend Alice, making a huge fuss about my birthday and my choice to not actually go out and celebrate. I open the door and find that no one is there and as I start to close the door I notice that there is a package that's addressed to my Dad, I pick up the package and its fairly light, probably more paperwork. I go back inside and throw the package at the table next to the stairs and head back into the kitchen.

As I start getting the ingredients to fix myself some bacon and pancakes, my phone starts to buzz. I quickly place the bacon on a pan and grab the phone out of my pocket.

"HAPPY BIIIIIIRTHDAY, BELLA!" Alice shrieks into my ear. I smile as I sit down on one of the stools in the counter.

"Good morning, Sunshine, thank you!"

"What are we going to be doing today, my schedule is totally free, after 1:30, and we can do whatever you want, we need to go out and celebrate. 18 years in this world, Swan."

"How about you come by at my house and we can go to the beach, we'll take it from there."

"Sounds good to me, I'll see you when I get out of this hell hole called school, later, Swan."

"Bye, Brandon."

Once Alice and I arrive at the beach, we decide to talk a walk and catch up about the people at school, who's dating whom, who slept who and who got dumped. Alice talks, she loves to talk, and she'll tell me the same story over and over again. For someone so small, its shocking how much can come out of her mouth really. Alice is just about 5 feet tall, 8 inches shorter than me; she has short black hair and bright green eyes that go along with a bright personality. She's been my friend for as long as I can remember.

After a while, we grow tired and head over to the diner located a few blocks from my house, to get a celebratory sundae. We take our seats at the counter and the waitress takes our order.

"So Jasper Whitlock is single again." Alice says, as she blushes brightly. Jasper Whitlock, senior as well, Alice has been crushing on him since he moved to Santa Barbara 5 years ago from Texas.

"I don't understand why you haven't asked him out yet, seriously, Alice, you guys have been friends for 5 years, all you ever talk about is Jasper, yet you haven't perked up the courage to ask him. You know he's not the brightest bulb in the house when it comes to picking the right girls."

"Well, at least I've dated someone. You know I can't do that, he has to ask me, that's the way it has to be, I know it. I can't just say, hey, you wanna go out with me? What if he says no?" Right, like anyone could say no to Alice.

"That's exactly what you should you, from what I remember, Jasper has also been crushing on you, too, but like I said before, he's not the brightest bulb in the house. And I dated! Remember Jacob?"

"Jacob doesn't count, you were drunk and you guys slept together. You two were too scared to ruin the friendship after that that you guys decided to date simply to not make it award, which had the opposite effect. And here you are, calling Jasper dull. There's nothing dull about that boy."

I hear the bell above the door ring and I turn to look at the redhead that walks in. She's gorgeous, long red curly hair, pale skin, meaning she's not from around here, tall and slender. As she comes in, she glares at me, making me look away as soon as I catch her eye.

That should've been my first hint.

After a while, Alice drops me off at my house to get her stuff and come back over to stay for the weekend. I decide that it's the perfect time to call my Dad.

"Happy birthday, Bells!" Dad says after the 3rd ring, "How was your day, did you and Alice head out today? I'm sorry I couldn't be there today, honey."

"Hey Dad, thank you, it was actually pretty great. We went out to the beach, then got ice cream at the diner. She just went home to pick up some stuff to stay over for the weekend. Don't worry about it Dad, it's your job, not much you can do about it. Besides, that pays for my books." I tease.

"I'm glad you had fun, honey, and ouch, that's all you care about from your old man?" he laughs, "book money? Here I am, catching the bad guys, ridding the world of injustice and you see a walking wallet."

"What can I say, Dad, a girl has gotta have her books."

"I love you too, Kid, I love you too. But hey, I'm heading back next Saturday for a few days, I'll make it up to you, we can have some father-daughter bonding time. Anything you want, before I have to head back up to New York."

"That sounds great, well make a trip of it, I can't wait." The doorbell rings, "I gotta go, Daddy, Alice is here."

"You girls have fun; call me if you need something. Love you, Bells."

"Love you too, Bye." As I hang up I run to open the door and find Alice in bright pink pajamas, holding a bottle of alcohol.

"I don't know about you, Swan, but I'm ready to party."

**Present**

That was one of the last drama free days that I had. That was the perfect day, before it all went downhill. But it wasn't all bad, because if life hadn't gone bad, if James didn't decide to mess with me, if Victoria hadn't left that note, if Dad hadn't taken that case. I never would've gotten my bodyguard.

I never would've metEdward.

**Okay so, that's the first chapter, I hope it was okay, let me know what you think, any questions I have not answered, something that wasn't clear. Just about anything. Leave a review telling me what you think. Im not sure, like I said, were they are going, I have a few scenes in my head, but I just have to give out how they will get there.**

**I hope you like the chapter.**

**-Val**


	2. Chapter 2

**Story is mine, the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**I have no clue where Im taking the characters, so pardon me for the mistakes im sure to make.**

**I apologize for the errors im sure to have, I wish I had a beta reader to help, but I have no clue how to get one. **

**Bella**

**Present**

As I tell you my story, keep in mind some time has passed and I don't remember each and every detail of all the days between then and now. So bear with me, after all, im sure you don't want to know every time that I went to the bathroom.

**September 23, 2013**

I spent all day with Charlie yesterday, he came back 2 days ago, but something is off. After he arrived on Saturday, early in the morning, we had lunch and later on dinner, before he picked up his mail and headed to him room to sleep off the jet lag.

Yesterday, he took me to the International House of Pancakes for breakfast but he kept looking at everyone that walked through the door. This went on all day and I didn't ask or think much about it, trying to enjoy my time with my old man who I hardly saw. We decided to pick up food from my favorite Chinese food restaurant and eat at home and watch some movies. While we were watching _The Avengers_, Charlie turned to look at me and asked me about the package that had been dropped off a week earlier.

"Bells, remember the package that arrived in the mail for me? The one you said was left at the doorstep." He asked in a tense tone. _What was in there? Did he loose a case?_

"Yeah what about it?" I said while taking my eyes off the screen and taking another bite off my delicious orange chicken. Orange chicken was a gift from the heavens above, it must be.

"When exactly was it dropped off? Did you see who dropped it off? Did anyone approach you about it? Did you see what was inside?"

What the hell? What did I do wrong? Note to self, don't pick up Charlies mail anymore.

"My birthday. No, it was at the doorstep. No, why? And No… Why? Should I have seen what was inside?" I look at my dad in the face, "Whats wrong? What was in there?"

Charlie looks at me for a brief moment before looking at the screen once more. When I think he wont say anything else, he talks in a clear and low voice.

"Listen to me and listen to me well, tomorrow, you will not leave the house. I need to make some calls."

And that was it, he didn't say anything else, no matter how much I asked. What his deal is, I wouldn't know, he wouldn't say. And right now, it is 3pm and he has been locked in his study all day. I have tried looking up news online, to see wht had been going on with the James Martin case, and maybe get a clue as to what was going on with Charlie, but nothing showed up. I even went as far as going into Charlies room to see if I could find the package he was talking about but he mustve taken it into his study with him.

I put down the book im currently reading and get up to get the laptop from my bedroom, as I start to shut my bedroom door and head towards my library again, I hear movement downstairs.

"Bella, could you come down here, please?" I hear Dad call, Im guessing hes in his study. I quickly go down the stairs with my laptop in hand, leave it by the table next to the stairs and head towards the study.

As the study comes into my line of sight, I notice a figure sitting in one of my fathers chairs in front of his desk. I notice that the figure is a man with dark auburn hair and has on a dark grey suit. As I approach the door of the study, my dad and the man stand up and as the unknown man turns around to face me, I cant help but notice how beautiful he is. He has dark green eyes that are somehow enhanced by the juniper green tie he has on, he has a pair of dark tortoise shell wayfarers on his jacket pocket and as I get closer to him I notice his height and think how he must easily be 6 foot 2 maybe 6 foot 3.

"Masen, this is my daughter Isabella, Isabella, this is Mr. Edward Masen Cullen, your bodyguard."

I stretch out my hand towards Masen, as my dad called him, "Hello Mr. Masen, its nice to m- wait what?" I turn sharply to look at my father and drop my hand before Masen even has a chance to shake it.

"Wait, say what again? Bodyguard? Bodyguard for what? Dad, Im 18 years old, ive been left alone multiple times and now you decide that I need a bodyguard? For what? Wait what? No, no! Mr. Masen, your services will not be required. Dad, what the hell is going on?" I look from Charlie to Masen and back again, hoping that one of them will explain.

"Bella, take a seat." I look at my Dad and think how he has officially lost his mind. Regardless, I take a seat and look at him as I wait for an explanation as to what the hell is going on.

"Bella, do you remember that package that arrived a week ago? The contents in the package contained some things, some things that have forced me to no choice except to hire Masen, to look after and protect you from some very dangerous people. That's not the only thing, honey," Charlie takes a deep breath, as if he was having a hard time, _oh please_, its not like hes the one that now has some random guy that's going to follow HIM around. "youre moving to Washington."

If I had water, this would be the moment in which I spit out my water in disbelief and I drop my glass and the glass shatters into a billion and plus pieces, But I don't. If I was mature, I would calmly ask him why that was, or accept my fate graciously, but I don't.

"After you out of youre freaking mind?!" I jump up from my seat and startle both him and Masen. "You've got to be kidding. This man, this BOY cannot be much older than me, I don't know him, I am not moving anywhere, what the hell was in that package, what the hell? No seriously, I cant even think straight, what the hell is going on?"

"Isabella, I am looking out for you, do not question my motives, Masen here has been in the military since he was 18 and he was the best there was I cann-"

"Yeah when was that?" I interrupt him, "Last year?"

"No Ma'am, Im 24." Masen talks for the first time. I don't glace at him.

"Dad, what in the world was in that package, im not a child, I can take it, tell me." I sit back down on my seat and wait for my father to start talking again. He looks over to Masen and back at me. He takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks a drawer from his desk and pulls out an envelope. He hands me the envelope and looks at me as I reach for it and open it.

Inside, I find polaroids and a note. I take out the note first and read it.

_Health and well wishes to you and your family, Mr. Swan_

I pull out the polaroids onto my lap and start taking a look. They are all pictures of me, at the bookstore, with Alice, at the beach, getting the mail, grocery shopping, in front of the house. I was being stalked. As I reach the last of the pile, I start to freak out.

"Who the hell took these? Why are they taken?" I keep looking at the pictures, not really caring who answers the questions, as long as anyone does.

"We do not know Ma'am, youre father suspects it to be related to the James Martin case, but he has no proof of it against him. He want to move you out of the state as well as have you take on a different last name as a precaution." Masen says calmly.

"James Martin." I think outloud. "The murderer? The mutilator?"

"You leave tomorrow with Masen, a friend of mine with me taking you to a small town called Forks, hell be taking you both on a private plane so you wont have to go through security and your names will not show up on records. There, you will both find a small house and I will be depositing money on Masens account for you both to live off from. Don't worry about how much you spent, this case will take a long time, so expect this to be a long move. Don't tell anyone where youre going, don't tell anyone who you are." Says my Dad, calmly, as if not to scare me off, he takes a deep breath, "There were pictures of body parts, they are threatening you directly, I have to keep you safe, Masen will keep you safe."

"Daddy," my voice cracks," I cant do this, this isn't happening, this stuff doesn't really happen, this is real life, this doesn't happen, I cant leave, I cant run away, I… I have to tell Alice, I cant leave. Don't make me go away"

"Honey, you have to keep Alice safe as well, I know shes your friend, but if you tell her, you could be putting her in danger, call her tonight, say good bye and that you will be okay and nothing else. You NEED to go sweetheart, you have to stay safe."

"Daddy, I cant, I cant go! I cant leave. Please!" I plead, openly crying by this point.

"You can. And you will."

**I cant believe I finished this chapter so easily BUT I know there are mistakes BUT I think I did okay, leave a review, they inspire me to work faster ;) Tell me your thoughts, questions and feelings.**

**-Val**


	3. Chapter 3

**Story is mine, the characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**I have no clue where I'm taking the characters so pardon me for the mistakes I'm sure to make.**

**I apologize for the errors I'm sure to have, I wish I had a beta reader to help but I have no clue how to get one.**

**By the way, I apologized about the mistakes from the last chapter, regarding the apostrophes :D it was late at night and I forgot to go back and spell check, I was thinking about that the morning after.**

**Thank you to my dearest friend, Flower ;) for skyping with me and helping me out with the story.**

**Enjoy the chapter, this one is a little longer than the past 2.**

**Bella**

**Present**

I don't remember much of my time from leaving the study, to when I finally arrived to Forks, Washington. A small little town in the middle of nowhere. Masen had already been searching for possible places to live in while we hid away from the threat that was James Martin. Masen had decided to get a 3 bedroom house hidden a bit by the vast green forest that Forks had to offer. As I look back at it now, the house was beautiful. A white house with dark blue linings, inside, light wooden flooring and cabinets and beige carpet on the second floor.

**September 26, 2013**

I wake up, gasping for breath. Another nightmare, the past 2 nights, I've been dreaming of a dark masked man hiding in the woods, climbing through the side of the house and looking at me from the window. I look at my new phone lying on the table side drawer next to my bed. 6 a.m. fortunately, the house was already furnished when we bought it, the past owner had wanted a fresh start and that worked fine for us. Masen insisted that I take the master bedroom, while he took the one down the hall from me. Yesterday, after some security personnel came to install security cameras and an alarm system, he quickly left to buy some food and arrived nearly 3 hours later with my new cellphone. The latest model, according to him, released only a few days before.

"Masen, what was your first name again?" I asked as I opened the box and took out the cellphone. I was sitting in the kitchen island plugging in the thin golden phone while Masen put the food he purchased into their proper places.

"It's Edward, Ma'am" He said as he opened the fridge and placed in a gallon of milk.

"What is your full name Edward, were going to be living together so I think I should know your full name I think."

"It's Edward Masen Cullen, Ma'am."

_Ma'am? He's older than me and he calls me Ma'am? No thanks._ "Please, don't call me Ma'am" I said before I got up and headed upstairs into my bedroom.

I sighed as I got up and headed towards the couch by the window and looked towards the forest. Surely I cannot stay locked in the house all this time, for however long that WOULD be, and do nothing. We needed a story, I needed my name change, I needed to eat and maybe watch some TV… Okay go out and BUY a TV. I picked up my phone once more and went to the notes app in the main screen. And start making a list:

_**TO DO:**_

_**Get TV**_

_**Get a laptop**_

_**Clothes**_

_**Books**_

_**Get new beddings**_

_**Come up with background story**_

_**Ask Edward about new name**_

I get up and open my bedroom door, and head down the hall towards Edwards room and knock on the door. Edward opens the door immediately. "What's wrong?" He says and looks around the hallway, coming out of his room. _In a suit at 7 in the morning?_

"Nothing, except that we need to go buy some things today, and we need to talk." I say as I start going down the stairs. Edward briefly heads back into his room and follows me as I head towards the garage. There was a rented black GMC Terrain, seriously, could the guy bring any more attention to us. Forks is not the type of town where everyone has a shiny new car. I open the passenger door and watch as Edward comes out and gets on the driver's side as he opens the garage. He starts the car and sets the GPS to lead us to Seattle. 3 hours, here we go.

After 20 minutes and me settling on some pop station, I turn to look at Edward.

"So, tell me, Edward, do you always wear a suit? I mean, if we have to fit in, a suit kind of brings attention to us."

"I'll keep that in mind, Ma'am maybe now that were in Seattle I'll pick up some regular clothes."

_Here we go with the Ma'am thing again._

"Really? Ma'am? Its Isabella, or Bella, actually, call me Bella, I mean, were going to be stuck with each other for a while I'm sure we can drop the formalities." I'm annoyed, it would be a pain to have to endure to live with some stiff ass dude who won't even call me by my first name.

"If you insist, Isabella." _Well, that's a step._

"Now, let's talk about a story, what are we supposed to tell people, you honestly can't expect me to stay locked up for however long we have to stay here."

"I was thinking cousins, were cousins who came here to get away from the city."

"That's a little weird don't you think? I mean, adults coming together to live in a house away from the city?"

He furrows his eyebrows, "well, what did you have in mind?"

I was going to force him to act civil, surely he would have to as to act nicer and less formal if we were- "Married."

His eyes nearly pop out of his head, I laugh a little, "Miss Swan I don't-"

"Think about it Edward, were two people living together, it makes sense that we say we are married, besides, I need a new name, so no more Miss Swan, Ma'am or Isabella, it should be Bella, Bella Cullen, James wouldn't be looking for an Isabella Cullen." I bet he wasn't expecting THAT.

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Why not, no one knows us and they are not supposed to, it's easy, no one will question it."

"You're right, Isabella, that's it then, no one is to know you're Isabella Swan, from now on, you're Isabella Cullen, until we can catch whoever is responsible for this." He doesn't say this like he's completely on board with the idea but he doesn't say anything else.

We stayed silent for another hour, listening to the music, well, he listened, and I sung some of them. This can't be so bad, right? I mean, the guy had to loosen up at one point or another. I wonder what kind of stuff he liked, what past he came from, I actually knew nothing about him.

"So tell me Edward," I said as I turned the music back down, "What made you want to join the military? At 18, that's fairly young."

"I don't know, I wanted to travel and gain some discipline, since I was a little kid, so when I turned 18, I joined the military."

"That's some intense thinking for an 18 year old. Didn't you ever have some fun?" Surely he had to be much calmer when he wasn't a bodyguard?

"The military was fun, I learned a lot from there, made some good friends."

"That's not what I mean, I mean like, gotten drunk, left without permission, broken the rules?"

He raises an eyebrow "Sure, I mean, the drunk part, I'm still human, Isabella."

"You know, when we get to Seattle, we are so going to give you a makeover. Speaking of which, I was thinking I could dye my hair, maybe cut it? If I'm going to be stuck here, away from my friends, I might as well do it right."

He looks straight ahead and has a smile playing on his lips. "You've watched a lot of movies, Isabella. "

"I'm serious, why not? Besides, I'm an adult, barely, but I am, I can do it. I'm going all out, I'm angry about having to drop my life, so I'm going all out. I mean seriously. Last week, my life was great, normal, I was waiting for Charlie to come home so we could celebrate my birthday. The next thing I know is that I'm being shipped off to a town in the middle of Washington and I don't even get to talk to my best friend. So pardon me if I try to make myself feel better by trying to make myself feel at home in a strange place with a boy I hardly know. It's ridiculous, want to talk about watching movies? This whole thing is like being in a movie, it's crazy."

I didn't mean to burst out like that, it was just insane. It wasn't his fault, it wasn't anyone fault except maybe some crazy doctor who wanted to kill me to save himself by making my Dad stop with the case.

We don't say a word for the next couple of hours and once we arrive to Seattle, Edward heads to Northgate mall and we head over to buy some clothes, and new beddings for the beds. I also decided to cut my hair, now that my life was changed so drastically, I felt the need to change my hair drastically as well, maybe not so much. My hair went from being down to my elbows to a straight shoulder length bob, and added some red undertones to my previously chocolate brown hair.

After the haircut, we head to Barnes and Noble and I picked up a few books, okay a couple… Okay they had to find me a box so Edward could carry my books to the car.

"You really like books don't you?" He chuckles.

"Yes, I do, and old music, like 20-50s, huge Sinatra fan, but I also like pop, I love movies, I love a lot of things."

"That's refreshing." He says as he closes the trunk of the car. "Now where do we go, Isabella?"

"What do you mean refreshing? And Best Buy. We need a TV, DVD player, laptop and movies and I don't know, well browse."

He opens my car door and heads to the driver's side. "Well, many of the people I've met have a very negative aspect of life, or they choose one thing and not the other, they are very… What's the word… one sided?"

He finds a parking spot right in front of Best Buy, which is actually in the same mall, and we head inside.

I make my way towards the TV and Edward follows a few feet behind me, always a few feet behind me.

"What do you think of this one?" I ask him as I stand in front of a 32 inch TV.

"Whatever you feel like getting, Isabella." He says.

"You're right, go big or go home." I say as I stomp my way over to a 55 inch TV. I've always liked big TVs, they almost make me feel like I'm in the theatre. Almost. "By the way, Mr. Cullen, may I remind you, we are a married couple now." I smirk as I take note of the TV and ask for help from one of the employees.

"What else may I help you with?" Asks Todd, one of the employees as he finished taking our information to have the TV delivered to the house.

"Well, my wife and I were hoping to buy a pair of laptops." Says Edward, never taking his eyes away from Todd.

"Sure thing, follow me." Todd walks over to the laptop section of the store and my eyes land on the shiny aluminum laptop directly in front of me. It's like the one I have at home. Well, I know what I'm taking.

We arrive at the house late at night, I was starving, I hadn't had a bite since we ate a sandwich at the café inside of the mall before we hit the bookstore. So I help Edward, unload what we bought and head towards the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal and head to bed.

Maybe living with Edward for a short while wouldn't be as bad as I thought it would be. Yeah I miss Alice more than anything, and the freedom to walk around by myself to where ever I wanted, I missed my room, talking to the people I knew, hell, I even missed my online classes, which I had to drop. Maybe I could enjoy this for a while. Or be driven to drink and go insane about what was going on around me.

I grab the white box that hold my laptop, and push Edwards across the counter and head to bed. Ill arrange everything tomorrow. Right now, I'd love nothing more than a hot shower and going to sleep.

**Thanks for reading :D**

**Tell me your thoughts and leave a review, its late as I write this BUT there's no way I'm forgetting the apostrophes this time around.**

**Im not making any promises, but I'm hoping to post a new chapter every 2 days, it all depends on what I think im doing with the characters. For right now, I want to simply settle Edward and Bella into the new house, get to know Edward a little more before the story gets intense again. **

**Kudos if you get the Todd reference.**

**Anyways, yet again, reviews make me work faster.**

**The next chapter won't really be a chapter, but a floor plan of the upstairs and maybe the rooms and how the outside of the house looks.**

**-Val**


	4. Chapter 4

**Story is mine; the characters belong Stephanie Meyer.**

**I apologize for the errors im sure to have, I have no clue what Im going to do with the characters.**

**Lets get to know Edward**

**Bella**

**Present**

We have had a relatively calm couple of months, I actually asked my father if it was all over, but he didn't want to risk anything until James was convicted and sent to jail. Now I like to think of those calmer times. The simpler days, how Edward slowly started to become less formal as we got to know each other.

**September 27, 2013**

Today will be good, itll be distracting to have to put everything in its proper place. I quickly change into a pair of sweats I bought yesterday, and a hoodie and head downstairs to where we left all of yesterday's shopping bags on the living room.

Its cold here in Forks, as I head into the kitchen and grab some greek yougurt and granola, I notice that its raining. Im not surprised. On my phone, it mentioned that its meant to rain this whole week.

I head to the living room and set the yougurt on the coffee table and take another bite from the granola before setting it down as well. The bags are everywhere, I start by taking the rest of the clothes that I bought and drop them on my bed, leaving them for later. Then put my new beddings and Edwards at the foot of the stairs to put them on the cupboard outside of my room. I open the 2 boxes of books that we bought yesterday and start to place them onto the bookshelf that surrounds where the TV will go. I was careful not to buy books that I already had at home, as well as the movies, so when this was all over, I suddenly didn't have 2 of every book.

Once im done with the books, I throw away the trash and place the boxes in the garage, grab a bottle of water and head upstairs with the new beddings. We both got 2 beddings and an extra pair of sheets to go with them. I throw one of the beddings into my room, leave one outside of Edwards room, knock, and head towards the cupboard to put the remaining 2 beddings into their place.

Edward quickly comes out of his room in brown slacks and a white shirt. I roll my eyes at him.

"You know Edward, theres no need to dress so damn formal all the time, specially when we are just in the house. You make me feel underdress and like im meeting one of my Dad's clients."

"Im sorry, Isabella, itll take some time getting used to not dressing so professionally, specially since I am technically working."

"Well, I know theres jeans in the clothes we bought yesterday, so get rid of the slacks and put on some jeans or sweats, I don't want to see slacks around the house anymore. Like you said, youre working, your working for my Father, therefor for me." If he was going to use the job card, then I would use it too.

"Yes, Ma'am." He says as he smiles to himself, picks up the bedding and heads back inside to change.

"Damn it, Cullen, don't call me Ma'am, its weird."

I head back inside of my room to put my clothes in the closet and take a shower.

As I come out of the shower, the smell of food fills my room. I quickly change into leggings, a dimgrey t-shirt, and an oversized burgundy cardigan and run down the stairs and into the kitchen where Edward is making chicken and pasta.

"A cook, Mr. Cullen? Arent you the complete deal. How did my father find you?" I grinned. Seriously how did my father find this guy?

"Well, Ms. Swan, cook wasn't in the resumme, that's just a good plus. I didn't know that moving out of state would be part of the job, therefor cooking for someone and myself would be something that I should have mentioned when I completed my resume after I left the military last year." He explains, as he looks for plates in the cupboard next to the fridge.

"Here, let me help, it's the very least I can do." I set the plates and silverware in the island, "Would you like water or juice? I would offer you wine, since that would seem to go wonderfully with the food, I note that you didn't buy any when you went for groceries. By the way, no Swan on here remember, you have to get used to it, what if you let it slip in front of someone."

"You're right, Mrs. Cullen. I did not buy any wine because it seems highly innapropiate to drink on the job, and I didn't buy any for you considering that you are only 18. Ill take some water, please."

"Ive drank before, you know, with my best friend Alice, so its not like you would be corrupting me. By the way, shouldn't I be getting an ID at some point? I mean it would be weird to say, hey, I just turned 18, meet my husband, it should say im 21 or something, and a different birthday too." I hope is says 21, if Edward wont buy me alcohol, I need to be able to buy some myself.

"I doubt itll say 21, but yes, your father is taking care of that, I mentioned the background story to him and hell be making arrangements to send an ID in. He says it should arrive in 3 weeks."

"You spoke to my father?" Im hurt, Dad talked to Edward, but he hasn't talked to me?

"Yes, Isabella." When he notices I don't say anything else, he adds, "Im sure he will be calling you soon, hes just looking waiting to throw whoever is responsible off the path until he calls you."

"Yeah, surely that's it." I leave the room and grab a book off the shelf and read until dinner is ready.

"Whats your favorite color?" I question Edward after finishing my food and start washing my plate.

"Im sorry?" He takes another bite of chicken.

"Color, get used to my questions Cullen, I cant talk to my friends back home and youre the only person in the house, so were going to get to know each other real well.

He finishes his food and sits back on the bar stool. "Brown." _What the hell?_

"Brown? Out of all the colors of the world, and you go with brown?" What kind of answer was that?

"It's the color of chocolate. Whats yours?" He says quickly.

"I see. Periwinkle."

And so begun a game of 21 questions.

**Present**

Brown. Favorite animal? Tiger. Place he hoped to way day visit? London. Favorite food? Hot Dog. Book? Dracula? Movie? Saving Private Ryan. Sport? Baseball. Movie he cried in? The Help. Car? Aston Martin. Craziest thing he ever did? Jump off an airplane. Scariest moment? When he momentarily forgot how to open the parachute. Favorite hero? Batman. Person he admired the most? His grandfather. I remember these things.

But I don't remember how I got here.

**Dun Dun Dun! Where IS Bella? MWAHAHA well have to wait and see.**

**Leave your thoughts in the review box below. They make me work faster.**

**Apologies for the super short chapter. Do you guys want to start seeing cutesy stuff?**

**-Val**


	5. Visuals 1

Here are some visuals of the story, just a few, there is a few changes to them, keep in mind this is a work of fiction.

Just remove the spaces

**Upstairs floor plan**

bit. ly/1EOevKe

The L is the cupboard. The master bedroom is Bella's room, Bedroom 3 is Edward's room.

**Bellas Bedroom- Its not yet yellow ;)**

bit. ly/1D8PMh7

**Livingroom bookshelf, it's a light wood color and so is were the TV is, but yeah the TV for the story is huge and the bookshelfs have books**

bit. ly/1afDJHW

**Edwards bedroom, without the 3 picture frames and its not yet grey**

bit .ly/1Es0WSu


	6. Chapter 5

**Ya guys know what imma say, I don't own the characters only the story. Ya-da ya-da I love you guys, thank you for reading, don't worry, things will get interesting soon.**

**Bella**

**Present**

For 2 months it was all calm, Edward and I got to know each other, he slowly started become less formal. He even started wearing pants. Things started to get interesting around the week of Thanksgiving.

**November 24, 2013**

So 4 more days until Thanksgiving. Dad said we would celebrate a week after Thanksgiving, just in case James had people following him, and flying in to see me on Thursday would be too obvious.

It was boring here, sure, it was nicer now that Edward was friendlier. I wasn't allowed out those, he took his job seriously when it came to my safety, and he didn't want us to be recognized now that my father and the case were gaining more attention. We did go out to Seattle 2 days ago, we both needed a hair trimming and I wanted to buy paint for my room, make it brighter. So I bought some yellow paint, ordered new sofa chair and yellow curtains to match the yellow beddings I bought when we first arrived. After I insisted, Edward bought some grey paint for his room as well.

I quickly get up, and head over to Edwards room and knock. Once he opens the door, I let myself in and turn to look at him. "It's paint day!" I grin.

His room is the same color as mine, boring old white. There's a dark wood finish bed against the wall and 2 table side drawers with a silver lamp on top of each. It's simple and boring, like mine.

He chuckles, "Today? You do realize that it will take more than a day right?" he scratches the back of his neck and looks at me, "I guess we'll have to work hard."

"Damn right, let's get to it."

I run down the stairs and into the garage we were left the buckets of paint and all the essentials for painting. As I drawing the stuff back inside, Edward opens the door and sees me with a bag of paint brushes and plastic coverings.

"Wow, you are really eager aren't you? I don't think I've ever seen you this excited." He laughs at me.

"Yes, I need to DO something; it's been so boring around here. I want to listen to music, paint, change things, since I can't change anything else." I think I'm finally going insane over the whole James thing. Although there hasn't been any threat, I still have the same recurring nightmare that I'm being watched.

Once we cover everything in the room that shouldn't be painted, including the frames, we start to paint as music plays in the background. Loudly.

I'm in the middle of signing loudly to _Gold digger _by Kayne West when I get overly excited and drop my paint roller into the bucket and splashing Edward's pants with bright yellow paint. I gasp and we both stop moving. We both turn to look at each other at the same time and Edward bursts into laughter.

"Relax, Bella, it's just paint." He says in between laughter.

"I thought you were going to be mad, I'm sorry." I start laughing as well.

"Naw, it's okay… I just get even." He says and before I understand what he says, he rubs the paint roller down long sleeve grey sweater. I squeal and run from him.

"This was my favorite sweater!" I quickly bend down and pick up a paint brush from the bag of tools; I head towards the bucket of paint, "Truce." I say, dip the brush into the paint and start painting the wall. Once he starts painting once again, I re-dip the brush and splatter the paint towards Edward. He stills for a moment, before slowly turning around.

"You lied to me, Isabella, called truce on me and betrayed me." He turns towards the window and looks outside. "Raining I see, you better watch out, Isabella, I know how much you hate rain." He grins, looks at me once more, dips the roller into paint and continues to paint.

Once we finish my room. We move the tools to his room and head to the utility room to wash the rollers and brushes to use in Edwards room. Edward stills.

"What's wrong?" I ask. He turns slowly to look at me, and then looks at the paint splatter I left on him earlier. "Don't… Edward don't…." I turn and sprint down the stairs as Edward runs after me. Where I'm going to go? I don't know, it's not like there's anywhere good to hide. I run towards the pantry, open the door and hide inside. I hear Edward walking around.

"You know, Isabella, there's not many places to hide here," he laughs, "come on, it's just a little mud, you know how much you love rain… and mud, and the green moist place that is Fork." Everything goes quiet, and just as I think that he went back up the stairs to start painting his room, and just as I'm about to open the door, Edward opens it. "Out you go, Bella." He surprises me by picking me up. I'm too shocked to say anything except laugh as he opens the door, into the rain and towards the yard. He sets me down and before I can turn to run, he throws a mud ball at my back.

I feel the mud slowly going down my back as I stand there frozen. _He did NOT._ I bend down, pick up some mud, and as he doubles over in laughter, I stick the mud between his shirt and his back and he gets up so quickly, he hits me in the face with his head.

"DOH!" I fall down and into the mud I go. I hold my chin and laugh as Edward freaks out as he tries to pick me back up.

"Bella! Are you alright? Damn it, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry." He panics.

"Chill, Edward, I'm fine, now I'm I just want to kick your ass for that, and you know what? I will!" I push him away, pick up some mud and throw it at him as I run.

"What would you like for dinner?" Edward glances as me as I arrive to the kitchen after a long bath. I didn't think mud was so bad now, so that was good. Sadly, it seemed to take forever to get all the mud and grass off my hair.

"Hmm.. Surprise me Chef Edward…. By the way, tomorrow, it's Movie Monday."

"Movie Monday?" He questions as he starts getting ingredients out of the pantry.

"Yup, it's going to be a tradition now. We will eat popcorn, and candy and soda and everything that has sugar."

He chuckles, "Bella, are you alright?"

My smile fades, "I just miss Alice, you know, my best friend. She's so full of energy, it's insane. So I'm deciding that I'm going to channel her. I mean, no matter what goes on in her life, nothing ever gets her down, so I will channel her. Movie Monday was our thing." We remain quiet for a few minutes.

"So what movie shall we watch?"

**Present**

I think that was the first time Edward ever touched me intentionally. But that wasn't the only thing that happened that week.

**November 26, 2013 11 p.m.**

I wake up, my scalp prickles, the way your scalp prickles when you feel uncomfortable or when you know someone is watching you. I stop breathing, I still. Everything is quiet, too quiet. I realize that I'm not alone; I slowly turn in my bed and look towards the window. Nothing. I hear the closet door creak and I turn around. I get up and head towards the closet, quickly push the door open, and turn on the light. Nothing, I must've imagined it all. I start to turn around to head back to bed. I still have that uneasy feeling when I suddenly feel the bed move. I turn around as fast as possible and the light of the closet illuminates his face, James, he found me. Before I can scream for Edward, he plunges a knife onto my chest.

**DUN DUN DUN! Told yall something would happen soon.**

**Reviews make me work faster, yall don't know it cuz I post periodically, but trust me, the chapters are all coming to me faster than I can type them. **

**Thanks for the support guys, I really appreciate you guys reading this and all that good stuff.**

**You make my day.**

**-Val**


	7. Chapter 6

**Dun dun dun, were back. Please don't hate me xD**

**The characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. The story is mine.**

**Please don't hate me. I swear, I just need to get some shit out of the way before things get intense. I just need to put them together and stuff before shit goes down. Bear with me.**

**Oh and I will start posting on Saturdays, so a chapter a week. **

**No I won't be like yeah give me 15 reviews and Ill post. I'll just be posting on Saturdays, maybe Fridays. What would you guys prefer?**

**Bella**

**Present**

Edward was staying in the room next to mine that night, since we had just finished painting his room and the smell of paint was too strong to sleep. Thank god for that.

**November 26, 2013 11 p.m.**

James pulls out the knife and I feel nothing but pain. I scream, and as I do, James covers my mouth and plunges the knife onto my stomach and I keep trying to scream, hoping that Edward will hear and kill the bastard, because there's no way I would make it anyways.

"Come on, Isabella." Sneered James, "Wake up." _What?_

"Bella! Wake up!"

I bolt upright on my bed, gasping, and someone is sitting next to me. I scream and move away. Suddenly, the light turns on and I notice that it was Edward next to me, and there's a gun on the bed side table. "Why do you have a gun?!" I scream at him.

"You were screaming Bella, I thought someone got in, it was just a nightmare, breathe."

I lay back into the bed and pull the covers over my head. "I'm sorry, it was just a dream. Nightmare. It was James, he was here, he found me, he… He stabbed me. He wanted to kill me."

Edward pulls the cover off my face and looks at me seriously. "May I remind you that there's a reason that I am here, I'm here to protect you, and it's literally my job to protect you. No one but me, you and your father know who you really are, here. Therefore, no one will find you until it's all over and you're safe."

I look at him in the eyes. He's right, I mean he's obviously prepared and takes his job of protecting me seriously. I can't go into the main part of town without Edward following me. I crawl over to Edward and hug him. "Thank you, really." I say. He doesn't move for a second before he wraps his arms around me and hugs me back. "Will you stay here tonight? I don't want to be left alone. I mean I know I'm not alone but, I'll feel way better if you stay here. Just tonight."

"Isabella, that's… I don't think I'm comfortable with that. That's not part of my job."

"Well neither is cooking. Nor painting rooms. Or splattering me with paint or throwing me in the mud."

A minute passes, he sighs. "Fine, okay. Scoot over." He lifts the covers and the blankets but lies over the sheets. He opens the bed side drawer and drops the gun inside. "We don't want that to fall." He turns off the light.

"Do you always keep your gun?" I glance at him in the dark.

"In my room? Yeah, I mean having it on under the bed is pretty stupid in my opinion and out in the open is not the brightest thing either. Having it inside of the drawer keeps its accessible in case of an emergency, like I thought we had tonight, seriously, I was ready to kick some ass!" He chuckles, "Seriously, I thought they got to you, I thought I failed."

"Are you scared of failure?" This isn't the first time Edward has mentioned failure. He's never explained why though.

It's a couple of minutes when he finally answers, "I had a buddy in the war, Alec, we grew up together. His parents were never around, so he practically lived with us. My parents basically adopted him. Anyways, when he turned 18, we both decided to join the military… Anyways, long story short, before he died…. It's a long story, Bella; the point is that I don't want to fail, like I failed him."

"I'm sure you didn't fail him, Edward. Whatever it was."

"Go to sleep, Bella."

**December 5, 2013**

Its Alice's birthday today, and my dad is flying in later on tonight and coming here tomorrow morning. I miss Alice now, more than ever, we always spent her birthday together, no one else, just us. I'd sleep over the night before, we would ditch school the next day, have a Harry Potter marathon, each junk food. Then we would get a cupcakes to equal the number of her birthday and we would but a candle on top and blow them out. It was tradition.

Tradition that I could not break.

I run downstairs to were Edward is watching some documentary about whales.

"Can we go to the store?" I smile at him as he turns around, "I need to buy some stuff."

"Yeah, sure, let me just get my wallet." He shuts off the TV and rushes up the stairs and I head towards the garage and into the car.

I head into the grocery store with Edward following behind me. I head straight towards the bakery section of the small store and Edward heads to buy candles for me. I find the cupcakes and get 2 dozen. I go to find Edward and we buy a few more things before heading home.

I put 18 cupcakes in the counter, and add a single candle to the top of each cupcake, once a I light them, I start recording on my phone, "Happy 18th birthday Ali, I miss you," I blow out the candles, turn the front facing camera and record myself, "I really miss you and I'm sorry I can't be there for your birthday, I hope to be able to see you soon." I stop recording and head upstairs into my bedroom, I connect my phone to my laptop and turn on the laptop. Once the laptop has loaded, I download the video onto the laptop and log on to Facebook. Once I moved out here, I deactivated my account, so I wouldn't be tempted to talk to Alice, but it's her birthday, I have to say happy birthday, I just have to. Once I'm inside, I go to her page and upload the video onto her timeline. I ignore all of my notifications, not wanting to be tempted to contact my friends and tell them where I was. I log off Facebook and lay back in bed, looking at the ceiling.

I should get a job. I want to get drunk. I want to do a Harry Potter marathon with Alice. I want to eat ice cream. I should eat something healthy though. I should probably start working out. I need to do laundry. I definitely need to do laundry.

I get up, grab my hamper and head towards the laundry room. After stuffing the dark colored clothes into the washer, I head over to Edwards room to grab the hamper and as I'm stepping out of his bedroom he comes out of the bathroom, crashes into me and I drop the hamper onto my foot.

"Damn it." I hop on my left foot and hold my right as I lean against the wall.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't see you." Edward bends down to pick up the clothes that fell off the hamper, goes to the laundry room and a few minutes later, and starts the machine. When he comes out of the laundry room, I look up at him and as soon as I notice that he's shirtless, I can't stop staring. It feels like I'm standing there for 10 minutes when Edward waves a hand in front of my face. "Earth to Bella."

"Sorry, have to go, I'm hungry." I quickly turn and run down the stairs while my face probably resembles a strawberry. I got into the kitchen, take the candles from the cupcakes and place the cupcakes in the fridge except for 2. I take some ice cream from the freezer and fetch a spoon before heading towards the living room and turning on the TV and DVD player. I set down my food on the coffee table and head towards the DVD section on top of the TV. What to watch, what to watch. I finally give up and settle on watching a _Bones _marathon, it's my guilty pleasure, I freaking love this show. I'm in the middle of another Brennan and Booth argument, when Edward comes downstairs and sits on the couch next to me. We sit there for a while under we hear the doorbell ring. I look at the time on the DVD player 9 p.m. I look at Edward, we've never had someone right the doorbell so late. He gets up and heads towards the bookshelf and pulls a bat from behind it. "What the hell?" I whisper-yell at him.

He heads towards the door, holding the bat, and looks through the peephole. He quickly chuckles and looks back at me, hiding behind the sofa, as he sets the bat behind the door, and opens it.

"Masen, where is that beautiful daughter of mine?" Charlie booms. He was supposed to arrive tomorrow; I guess he must've taken an earlier flight.

"Welcome back, Charlie, it's good to see you." Edward steps aside and Charlie comes in.

"Dad!" I get up from the couch and run towards my dad, "You're early… or well, late… but early." I hug him tightly as Edward locks the door and goes to place the back to the bookshelf.

"So tell me, kids, how have you been? What have you guys done?"

Present

I talked with Edward and my Dad that night, about me getting a job. Well, if I got a job, Edward would have to work with me, to keep an eye on me.

My Dad, after some arguing, agreed to let me, well us, apply for a job.

I wish he hadn't.

**Reviews make me work faster **

**Tell me what you think. Sorry it feels like I'm moving too fast, it's just that going into day by day seems like getting away from what the story really is about, you know? Like imagine me telling you every single day, I mean, if you guys want that, tell me.**

**If you guys want me to slow down and tell a little more Edward and Bella fluff, go ahead and tell me, if you want me to keep skipping and get to the more interesting parts, tell me, if you all like how things are going to so far, tell me.**

**-Val**


	8. Chapter 7

**Oh yes, im back, its Friday.**

**Yesterday was my birthday, just thought id say that.**

**Keep in mind this is a work of fiction. There is no Starbucks in Forks. Keep that in mind with the weather and stuff, probably in the next chapter the topic of weather will come up and yeah, it didn't actually happen that year.**

**The characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, I'm just using them to make my story.**

**Bella**

**Present**

We applied to various jobs in Forks and in the end, we both got a job at a local Starbucks that was opening. Edward wasn't a fan of the coffee place but he felt better to be able to pay more things around the house, and so would I.

**December 14, 2013**

I head into the kitchen and see Edward in his uniform for the first time.

"Well this is different, I'll tell you that" I laugh at him as he hands me a cup of coffee.

"Drink the coffee, Bella. The real coffee." He hands me a blueberry muffin.

"Hey! They sell real coffee." I defend

"Yeah but, one, you like that frozen coffee flavored milk shit and two, the real coffee is overpriced, just like everything else.

"Yeah, but the good people of Forks 'that frozen coffee flavored milk shit'. Besides, if you haven't tried it, why judge?" I peel back the muffin wrapper, rip off the top and eat the bottom first, as Edward takes a seat next to me on the counter. "Besides, it makes me feel at home, all I need is Alice and life would be perfect here."

"Don't you miss your dad?"

"Well he wasn't around much before, so there's not much of a change now." We eat the rest of our muffin in silence.

"Well, let's head to work." Edward grabs the keys and we head to the garage.

People have been excited about the new opening here in Forks. People are friendly here, it's so nice to be able to see so many faces and not just Edward's all of the time. Don't get me wrong, he's pleasant to look, he's funny and nice, he's a great cook. But I've been feeling king of lonely lately, if you know what I mean. And he's attractive, not going to lie, maybe too attractive for my own good. Okay who am I kidding; I've developed a tiny crush on him… Okay, fine, a huge crush on him, but I can't do anything about it. I shouldn't do anything about it. I can't. It's his job to protect me and, well, how to make coffee.

"One vanilla bean Frappuccino." I place the cup next to me on the counter, for Edward to pick up and make.

We get home at home at around 6 in the afternoon, exhausted from standing so long. I head towards the kitchen and take out last night's spaghetti leftovers, glad not to have to wait for food to be finished. I heat it up as Edward comes into the kitchen without his shoes.

"Those shoes are not very comfortable; I swear I feel like my feet will bleed." He sits on the bar stool and lays his head on the counter. I set a plate of food in front of him and sit on the bar stool that's beside him. I kick off my shoes as I say, "We just need to break them in, they are brand new, of course they are a pain." I take another mouthful of food. "I bet you were not expecting to work at a Starbucks or anywhere like that when you took the job."

He picks up his head and looks at me before eating, "No but it's okay I guess. I wanted my life to be calmer after the military, and this is calm. It's refreshing. Sometimes I forget that I'm meant to be protecting you, it's just like I'm living with a girlfriend..." He takes another bite, chewing quickly, "I mean, you know, a girl and a friend."

I blush, "Well I am you wife," I wink at him, "sometimes I feel like we are undercover agents for the FBI or something. Just less exciting."

"Yeah." We remain quiet for a while until he gets up and clears our plates. "You know. Mrs. Cullen," he winks at me, "I might just give up on the whole bodyguard thing after this is over." Ouch and here I thought he was flirting with me for a second, am I really that bad? To make him give up on his job?

"Is it that bad?" I get up and we head into the living room.

"What is?" He replies.

"Having to look after me?"

"No, what makes you say that?" He looks confused.

"Well, you're quitting the whole bodyguard thing after you're done with my case."

He laughs, "No, you have it all wrong." He turns on the TV before continuing. "It's been relaxing, fun even, living here with you. Now I'm worried that the next person I have to look after won't be as cool as you." He shrugs

I blush, "well I'm glad you've enjoyed your time here, I've enjoyed having you around too."

We watch TV for a while longer before heading upstairs and showering

The next day at work we get our schedules for the following week as well as our days off for the holidays. Everyone stops for a coffee before work and we even have a group of girls who stayed for a couple of hours, they kept looking over at Edward, so I suspect that he's partially the reason they were there so long.

Once we are done for the day we head over the local diner to pick up dinner and it seems like all of Forks decided to do the same. When we get home, we compare and discuss our schedules and find out that we have times were we don't have a shift together.

"I'll just stay at one of the corner tables to keep an eye on you. And when I have to work, you can stay at the table." He says.

"Won't that be weird?" I ask, "I mean, always being there with each other, people will wonder what our deal is, I mean, I'm no expert at marriage, but I don't think its normal behavior." I laugh.

He thinks about it for a minute before answering, "We can work on the laptop, I can make some story about writing a book or something and you can sign up for your online classes again, sign up at the local high school and finish your senior year."

"You're right, I mean, I'll have to say college or something cooler, I mean I'm supposed to be 21 and I'm barely finishing high school?" I laugh.

"Yeah, that." We finish our food before heading to the leaving room.

"We should play UNO." I say to him as I take my usual seat next to Edward. He laughs and gets up once more and opens a drawer under the TV were we have a set of cards and UNO as well as some other board games I forced him to buy last month.

**Present**

We played late into the night that day, he beat me like a billion times before I gave up and threw the set of cards as his face as he laughed at me. It was one of the best nights we had had, until we got snowed in during Christmas.

**Hey guys **** I hope you enjoyed it, I'm sorry this chapter was kind of slow, I know it was. I hope you liked it anyways. Reviews make me work faster. **

**By the way, keep in mind this is all a work of fiction and it's not 100 perfect factual.**

**Oh and I'm sorry the chapter is kind of short, I think the next one will be a little longer.**

**-Val**


	9. Chapter 8

**This is a work of fiction, mkay? There was no snow-in in the winter of 2013 in Forks BUT here are some fun facts:**

**Forks gets roughly about 119 inches of rain a year! That's nearly 10 feet of rain. It rains an average of 212 days a year! But they get about 25 inches of snow a year, not enough to get stuck at home, but they do cancel school because of snow sometimes. **

**Yes guys, I'm doing some research for this, I will mostly likely tell you the things that are 100% fake in this story.**

**The characters are Stephanie Meyers, the story is mine.**

**Bella**

**Present**

During the following week, I signed up for online classes which would be starting next semester for me. I wondered what Edward actually did during the times he waited for me to get off work. When I asked him about it later, he told me he would read, a lot, during our time working at the Starbucks. During this time, I was also able to get my hands on a bottle of tequila. Don't get me wrong, I didn't become some raging alcoholic, but the holidays got to me this time, not being able to be in California I could deal with, but not being able to freely contact my friends and my Dad and everyone that I knew was bumming me out. So I just needed to let go and have fun, like Alice would say. During this time, it had also started to snow. This was the best and the worst thing to ever happen to me.

**December 24, 2013**

I wake up and run outside of my bedroom, with the covers wrapped around me like a burrito, to turn on the heater that Edward turned off last night. It's cold, I feel like if my bones will shatter if it gets any colder. I'm from southern California; I'm not made for the cold. After I turn it on, I head over to Edward's bedroom; I knock and walk inside, not waiting for a response. I'm way too cold to give a damn at this point. Besides, the case is far from over and we are going to be together for a long time, we should be past the point of caring.

He turns to look at me as I walk in and he pulls the covers over his head, I head to the opposite side of where he lays and I flop down into the bed, facedown.

"I hate you" I say into the bed.

"Why?" He mumbles through the covers.

"Why did you turn the heater off? I couldn't even enjoy sleeping in because I was so freaking cold, it's your fault."

"Oh… I hate myself, too. I didn't know it would get this cold, it usually feels hotter in the middle of the night with all of the covers." After a minute or so that I don't say anything, he adds, "Bella… Are you still awake?"

I decide not to answer, I'm getting too comfortable to move or even say anything. He lays there for a while longer and I fall asleep before I notice that he leaves the bed.

I wake up a few hours later to the smell of eggs and bacon. I get up from the bed and head downstairs with just a blanket wrapped around me and leave the rest in his room. I arrive at the kitchen and look at Edward as he sets down our plates.

"I knew food would get you out of my bed, you bed hog."

"What can I say, yours is more comfortable than mine, besides, with the heater on and all the extra covers, how could I not hog it? Sorry, not sorry." I notice that he is dressed in pants, has on some sweaters, a scarf and a beany, "Did you go out?"

"Briefly, I want to get some things I was missing for tonight. I've noticed you like cupcakes, so I was able to get some. I figured, it's Christmas Eve, let's enjoy some food. AND I know you mentioned you wanted some wine for Christmas dinner, so I went to get some wine. However, you're 18, so you can only have one glass, you've been working hard, and if and only if you don't tell you father, he would throw me in jail." He looks at me seriously.

"Don't worry, Dad would allow a glass of wine once in a while with dinner, so you should be safe. Besides, we could use the warming up from the alcohol. By the way, I'm in charge of desert tonight, I want to make chocolate chip cookies and since you got cupcakes I won't be making a cake anymore. I was thinking apple pie, though; I make a mean apple pie."

"Sounds good to me. By the way, apparently there's a big storm coming in, so it looks like the stores are closing down until the storm passes, it's supposed to last like a week or so."

"Does that mean we don't have to work on the 26th?"

"I called the boss and he said that he would call us when they would open again."

"That sounds great to me, I'm going to head upstairs and get myself a scarf and the speakers, we need music to dance to and cook."

**Present**

We danced that day, to every possible holiday song there was, we made a mess out of the kitchen like there was no tomorrow. We ate dinner at 6 and drank some wine, he let me drink more than one glass, well... I don't know if he let me or he just didn't notice. By the time I convinced him to open presents at 8, I was feeling a little on the happy side

**December 24, 2013 8 P.M.**

I run towards the potted plant that we decided to call our tree and I sit in front of the small pile of presents. Edward FINALLY gets into the living room and sits next to me and hands me my presents from him and one from my Dad.

"Which one should I open first?" He turns to ask. I hand him the present from my Dad and I pick up my own.

"He probably got us something boring." I quickly unwrap my present, usually I would unwrap it carefully without ripping the paper, but usually I don't have some alcohol in my system. I unwrap it and find a Nikon camera. Wow, that's actually neat, I open the box and inside I find a short note written by my Dad.

_**Hey Bells, I know it will probably snow in Forks, I hope that this makes the time there more bearable.**__**Take some pictures of the snow, kid; I'm sure you'll be back home in no time. By the way, I had the guys at the store help me set up the camera; it should be ready to go.**_

_**Your old man**_

I look over at Edward and see that he's folding some ties neatly in back into a box.

"Well those are nice." I smile at him.

"Yeah, I like them, and they are way more than I thought I would get from your Dad, I didn't know I would be getting anything." I pick up my camera from the box and turn it on before pointing it at him and taking my first picture and looking at it. He looks amused, it's a beautiful picture.

"Please no flash photography." He covers his face briefly before laughing and taking the camera from my hands. He points the camera at me and takes a picture. "There how does that feel?"

I laugh, "Horrible, just horrible." I say sarcastically before handing him a small box from his pile, which has a batman logo decal for his computer. "Open this one next." I grab a small one from my pile and when I open it, I laugh. Great minds think alike. It's a Lilo and Stitch decal for my computer. I set it on the coffee table to remind myself to put it on later. "I fucking love it! I didn't know they had one!"

"Mrs. Cullen, you know JUST how to spoil a guy he says and he places the decal on his lap and hands me the large box the second gift that he got me and he grabs his box that has an antique watch that I found in Port Angeles last time he went. I noticed he never had one on, and I figured he'd like.

I open the box and inside I see the top of an umbrella, well that's odd. I pull the umbrella out and the decoration looks like old paper would look. I turn to look at him confused and he tells me to open it as he puts on his watch. I open the umbrella, look at the top and gasp. I see why it was old looking, it's supposed to be parchment. On the side of it, it reads "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good" and little feet go around the umbrella. "What? This is so cool, where did you find it?"

"Online, I know it's your favorite quote from the movie, so I thought you'd like it."

"Like it? I fucking love it! Oh my gosh, this is like… The coolest thing I've ever seen. I didn't know how much I needed it in my life until now." I jump over to hug him and he laughs.

"Speaking of getting, where did you find this watch? I like it, it reminds of the one my grandfather had."

"I found it in an antique shop in Port Angeles, last time we went up there. There was also this cool cigar case… But you don't smoke so I went with the watch."

Soon we move to the couch and we settle for watching _ELF_. We talk throughout the movie, getting closer each time. By the end of the movie, I find it hard to concentrate on anything besides the fact that Edwards face is a few inches away from mine.

You know those moments in which you want nothing more than to kiss someone and they are RIGHT there for you to kiss but you don't and it just makes you want to kiss them more? Well that has been me for the past couple of weeks, I'm attracted to Edward, and I can't do anything about it, which just makes me want to DO something about it even more.

I turn to look up at Edward as we talk and I find myself looking at his lips every couple of minutes, and I could swear that he does the same.

Why shouldn't I do something about it? We're here, alone, we have BEEN alone for 3 months now. I'm an adult, we both are. There's nothing wrong with it. It's not like he's 50 years older than me anyways.

Finally, after arguing with myself for what seems like forever, I shock myself by grabbing Edwards face and kissing him.

What takes me by surprise even more is that he kisses me back.

However, after a few minutes and before I decided to climb onto his lap and close the distance between us more, he pushes me away and quickly gets up.

"Isabella, we can't do this, like at all. I'm supposed to be protecting you. Your father has trusted me to keep you safe, not to go ahead and make out with you behind his back in his house." He says it like he's trying to convince himself.

"Edward, I'm an adult, we both are. Besides, you wouldn't stop doing your job. No one says you had to, and Charlie wouldn't find out. He hardly comes here."

"Isabella, I'm simply not going to argue about this. It's simple. No. You've had some wine to drink and you're not thinking clearly. Now if you will excuse me, I'll be heading to bed." He turns around and heads upstairs while I continue to sit on the couch.

What the fuck was I thinking? Seriously? Why would he want ANYTHING to do with me in that way? His job is to protect me, he's said that a lot. It's one thing that we are friends now, if I didn't just ruin that tonight. Seriously, what in the world was I thinking. He can do so much better; maybe he doesn't even like you as a friend. Maybe he just pities you and ACTS like you friend. I mean, look at him, with his perfectly soft hair, that crooked smile, the way he laughs, the sound of this voice, he's smart, he's funny, he's strong and witty, he's sarcastic yet nice, he's experienced. Maybe I'm too young for him, or maybe he has someone waiting for him back in California. I never asked him if he had a girlfriend. Who am I kidding, a guy like him must totally have a girlfriend.

I sit in the couch for another 10 minutes, internally yelling at myself as to why I kissed him before heading into the kitchen, grabbing myself an empty glass and heading upstairs.

**Present**

I felt awful that night, I was so angry at myself. The next morning I and swallowed myself in self-pity as Edward tried to convince me to come out of my room and eat. I sent him away every time and turned the music on my computer louder with each hour that he came to my bedroom door. By the end of the night, he gave up and went to sleep and so did I.

**And yeah, here was the first kiss.**

**Kind of lame I know. I don't think I will be writing any lemons in this story. Next chapter will be a little more interesting I think, when it comes to Edward and Bella at least. The snow will get serious. **

**Reviews make me work faster. Seriously, as I write this, I just posted chapter 4 xD**

**I feel like this chapter was kind of awkward when it came to presents and stuff but I hope it was bearable. Also hope you like the length of the chapter, its longer than the other ones.**

**-Val**


	10. Chapter 9

**Yeah… I have zero clue what I will do with this chapter.**

**The characters belong to Stephanie Meyer, the story is mine, even if I don't know what I'm doing with it haha**

**Enjoy.**

**This is a work of fiction.**

**Bella**

**Present**

The day after I locked myself in my room, I came out and simply gave Edward the cold shoulder. Edward tried and failed through the morning to get me to talk to him until around dinner we he finally snapped and got pissed at me. He told me that it wasn't his fault, that I was blowing everything out of proportion. He was there to protect me and nothing else. We argued some more before he stormed upstairs with his dinner. What we didn't notice throughout the day was that the storm was getting worse.

Way worse.

**December 27, 2013 3 A.M.**

I get woken up by the sudden silence, it's eerie. I look at the time on my watch and try to turn on my lamp and once it doesn't, I get up and to go to the bathroom but the light wont switch on. Huh, the light must be out, I go to the bathroom and pee before heading back to bed and try and sleep, hoping that the light will be back when I wake up.

**December 27, 2013 5 A.M.**

I'm cold. Okay, I'm freezing. I hug the covers around me and when that fails. I get up and head towards the hallway to turn on the heater. I hit the switch outside my door and notice that the lights still weren't working. Great, just great, it's cold as fuck and now I can't turn on the heater. Fantastic, bloody fantastic.

It's funny how you don't notice that electricity can be loud. On our daily lives we don't notice the sound of the electricity as it flows through our walls, were so used to it. Even when the lights are turned off, the sound is there. Now it's all quiet, so quiet that I can hear Edwards breathing from his room.

I decide to head downstairs to heat myself some tea on the gas stove, I go back into my room to my cellphone to see as I head downstairs and boil the water. All is well and fine until I miss the last couple of steps, and as I fall, I scream.

As I clutch my knee, Edward comes running out of his bedroom, as my eyes start to get adjusted to the darkness, I can see he's holding his gun again. "BELLA?! Where are you?" He tries to switch on the light and when that doesn't work he starts to head towards the stairs to look for me

"Stop!" I yell at him. "I fell the last couple of steps; I missed the steps and fell. It's a blackout; the storm took the lights out." I start to get up, ignoring the pain on my knee and fall once more. I decide to simply lay there until the natural light comes out.

"Here." Edward says right before he picks me up. He's warm, so I'm not about to complain about that. He drops me on the couch, lifts my legs and sits before placing my legs on his lap and pulling some of the blankets onto him. "I don't know about you, but I think we're just going to die here in the cold."

"I think I hate southern California now." I hug the blankets impossible close and cover my face with them.

"Why?"

"Because, if we got cold weather more often, this cold wouldn't be so harsh."

"True… Let's head upstairs, we'll be warmer on our beds."

I move my legs away from his lap and my knee can support me know, it was just the initial pain that made me fall. We head upstairs and towards our rooms, and as I lay in bed, I know it's stupid to try and sleep. All I can think about is the cold. Fuck it. I get up and head towards Edwards bedroom and let myself in without knocking. Edward looks at me as I lift the covers and get in with my own covers as well. That ought to help me sleep.

"You know, if you're going to sleep here to take my covers as well, you might as well share."

I get up and start placing my covers on top of his and lay back down with the covers over my face until I get warm.

"That's loads better." He says, doing the same.

"I don't know about you, but in THIS cold, I'm not leaving the bed."

"Ditto."

I wake up, what I assume to be a couple of hours later. Its light enough to see in the room, but the sun is still covered by the clouds. I take a deep breath. The bed smells of Edward. I didn't notice he had a smell until now, it's actually kind of nice, it's a deep rich smell. I turn to look at him and he's asleep. I stare at him a little longer before he speaks. "You're creepy."

"You're mean."

"That's better than creepy, Miss Creepy."

"It's better than conceited. Maybe I was judging you, how bad your hair looks." I wasn't. It actually looked sexy. He opens his eyes, playfully glares at me before covering his hair with hands.

"We should watch some TV downstairs. It's too cold to read." I say, a few hours later, after Edward ran downstairs to heat up some left overs on the stove before running upstairs.

"Blackout, Bella."

"Damn it, why do I keep doing that?" This is the good thing about cold days, we get to watch TV with a shit ton of blankets and stuff. I say we risk the use the laptop. It's for the greater good of the fun.

A couple of hours and 50 percent of the battery gone from Edward's laptop, I'm starving again.

"Let's flip a coin for it." I say.

"No way, I got breakfast, you have to get lunch."

"I'm not willing to go to the bathroom and pee; you really think I'll make it through heating the food?"

"Here, you heat the food, I'll get another movie, some games and your laptop, mine won't make it through the night."

"Fine." We get out of bed and head downstairs to get our supplies. "By the way, didn't you buy flashlights when we first arrived?"

"I'll look in the garage."

A half hour later we are on opposites sides of the bed, with our blankets wrapped around us and a flashlight carefully arranged to give us light, setting out the cards to play text hold 'em.

"Alice thought me how to play this like 2 years ago, why? I would know."

"I used to play this in the military, we would bet some of our home-sent goods. It wasn't fun without betting."

"True… Do you have anything in mind?"

He thinks about it for a minute. "Looser has to get dinner."

"That's no fun, besides, that would only be good for one game."

"Then what?"

Well, Edward, glad you asked. "Oh I know exactly what. I have to pee first then I'll get it."

I head back into Edwards room with the bottle and a half of wine and the flashlight on, my other hand. "Loser drinks." I say as I take my spot on the bed. He looks like his about to protest. "Oh come on, Edward, live a little. After a minute he nods.

"I must warn you. I have a high tolerance for alcohol, but I never lose." He starts passing out the cars between us.

I pick up my cards and smile internally as I look at them, "Really? That's good." Oh this is going to be way too much fun.

"AGAIN?! What the hell!" Edward throws his cards down and takes the bottle from my lap and takes a drink. He's lost 7 times. I've lost twice. "You have got to be cheating you have another deck, you cheater!" I laugh. He puts the bottle on the bedside table and starts grabbing all of the cards before setting them down as well. "Get up. You're cheating, get up."

"You're just a sore loser" I giggle.

"Up." He starts to pull the blankets away from me until I finally get up from the bed, he grabs the flashlight and starts looking around.

"What can I say, im just good." I raise my hands up in the air and smirk at him. And at the same time that I do, I can hear the house starting to creak loudly. I look at the walls, freaked out. The electricity is coming back. The hum is back, the house is suddenly not so quiet.

Edward reaches towards his bedside lamp and turns on the light and the room is flooded in brightness. "Youre a witch, are you?"

I laugh, "I told you I was good." I run towards the hallway and turn the heater on. As the house starts to warm up, I head down stairs and towards the living room and throw myself onto the couch as Edward follows. "Dear electricity, I will never take you for granted again, at least not in Forks." It feels amazing to be warm and not have to depend on all the damn blankets for it. Movement, I can move.

"Next time, just throw your hands up in the air earlier." Edward mumbles as he sprawls out on the L shaped couch.

After a couple of minutes, I get up and head towards the window to look outside. The storm is bad, I wonder when it'll end. I head back to the couch and turn on the TV for news.

"What the hell are we going to do snowed in for a week?" I cry out. Seriously a week in this weather. Locked inside with Edward… Needing the warmth… Wanting something to do… Why was the universe trying to punish me this way? I wanted Edward and having to be here, with nothing more to do than watch TV and play games and nothing more. When we were working, I could at least get distracted my other people, not here. This is the time in which I needed Alice the most, to tell her everything about Edward. Ask her for advice on what I would be able to do. This is James's fault, if it wasn't for him, I would be able to talk to my best friend, I wonder how she's been, what she has been up to, what happened with Jasper, if she's finally been able to get the courage to ask him out. Or vice versa. Then again, if it wasn't for James, I couldn't be here with Edward. Struggling with trying not to jump on him and kiss him. Damn it, I was doing so well on not thinking about Edward and being in bed with him all day, what the fuck.

"Earth to Bella!" Edward waves his hand in front of my face.

"What? Yeah sorry, what? I was thinking."

"I said, the same thing we did today I guess. There's not much else to do. It's not like we can go out and have a picnic or something. I can't take you ice skating either."

"I'd probably break my face anyways."

He laughs. "Most likely, then your father would kill me."

My phone rings. I left it on the kitchen counter in the morning, the cell service must be back. I run to the kitchen to pick it up, it's my Dad. Speak of the devil.

I pick up.

"Bella! Where the hell have you been? Why haven't you answered? Why hasn't Edward answered? I've called you and emailed you both a million times, I was about to book a ticket to Seattle to check on you guys! I have been so fucking worried. WHY HAVENT YOU ANSWERED?!" Charlie yells into the phone before I explain.

Once I finish my phone call with Charlie, I head back towards the living room and notice Edward looking at something on his computer. I go to sit down next to him and he shuts his laptop before I get a chance to see what it was. He won't look at me.

"You know, if you want to look at porn, you can go to your room for that." I look at him seriously. He turns to look at me in shock and his eyes are about to pop out of his face, his beautiful dark green eyes. I raise my eyebrows at him before bursting into laughter. I laugh for a solid minute before saying, "Kidding, oh gosh, your face! Your eyes. Chill, Edward, I'm kidding."

He looks at me in disbelief for a minute before slowly facing back towards the TV and placing the laptop on the coffee table.

"Bella wake up, go to bed, let's go upstairs." Edward gently shakes me.

"No, here. Let's stay here." I mumble without opening my eyes.

Edward chuckles softly. "You'll get cold, even with the heater."

"Bring the blankets, I'm tired of the bed." Why won't he just listen, I'm so tired. Edward sighs in resignation and I hear his footsteps head up the stairs. A few minutes later, he turns off one of the lights and drapes the blankets over me before leaving.

"EDWARD!" I scream right before I wake up gasping and clutching my chest. I look at my hands, there had been blood on them a second before, in my nightmare, so much blood that I could stop. I see the lights turn on and Edward runs down the stairs and slides into the living room. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just... there was… I couldn't… You were…" I'm shaking and I feel myself crying involuntarily. Edward comes over and sits beside me before hugging me as I try to calm down.

"It's okay, you're okay. I'm okay. We're all okay… Okay?" He laughs softly.

A few minutes after I calm down and start to slowly go back to sleep, Edward lets go before getting up. I quickly reach out for his hand and look at him. "Please don't leave." I feel as if he leaves, I won't be able to sleep, that all I will be able to see is him bleeding out before my eyes. He looks at me.

"Let me turn on the light." He starts to pull his hand away, "I'll be right back, I'll just turn off the light." He turns off the lights from the stairs and comes back into the living room, turns off the lamp and stands in front of me. "Scootch over, Bella, you have to share blankets with me and space." He takes away the back cushions of the sofa to create more space for us and I more father back to make space for him. He gets in under the blankets and places and arm under me, pulling himself closer to me to not fall off the couch. I place my face on his chest and soon, we fall asleep without another word.

**Present**

From then on, we shared a bed. I think we both felt better when we did, I know I did. After that, things changed for us, the thin line that was between us disappeared. I knew ' never stop thinking about him after that, I knew that it wasn't just some crush anymore. I knew that I loved him, and that I wanted him, more than I have ever wanted any one fore in my life. I didn't know if he felt the way. At the time I thought he didn't, but I didn't care. But he did care, and that's the same moment in which he knew he loved me too.

I wish I had paid attention to what he had been looking at on the computer, though. The information my father had sent him. I wish I had known, that way I could have been more careful. That way I never would've given away our location. I would've been more careful. But I didn't know. I wasn't careful.

I gave away our location because of it.

**Dun dun duuuuuun... Again. **

**This is the longest chapter ever! Let me know what you think!**

**Reviews make me work faster, trust me ;)**

**What was your favorite part? Like so far throughout the last couple of chapter?**

**-Val**


	11. Chapter 10

**I'm back.**

**THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION OKAY?! I say this because later there will be some things that would probably not be accurate.**

**The characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. The story is mine.**

**Bella**

**Present**

We woke up the next day and had breakfast, we didn't talk about our sleeping arrangement, but there was no awkwardness about it either. We talked about nothing in particular, but at the same time we talked about everything. I remember how much I wanted to talk to Alice, tell her everything about Edward. I wish I hadn't.

**December 28, 2013**

"Anyways," I laugh, "I'm going to go shower now. Ill wash the dishes after I'm done."

"Sounds good to me." Edward leaves his plate in his sink before heading towards the living room. "Don't take all the hot water, I still have to shower too."

"No promises." I head upstairs and shut my bedroom door. I undress and walk into the shower after the water warms up. Maybe, I think, I can create a new email account and talk to Alice that way, I can tell her everything or well, almost everything, without freaking her out, no one would have to know anything. Once I'm done with my shower, I head towards the stairs and yell out, "Have fun with the cold shower."

"Seriously?!" He replies.

"Nah, I'm not that mean." I head back into my room and lock my door again, I open my laptop and open up a new email account, using our favorite color in the name.

_**blueisyourclue **_

For my name I put her second name and Edward last name: Mary Cullen.

I type in Alice's email in the contact list of my new email: fabsince95

**To: Alice Brandon**

**From: Mary Cullen**

**Subject: Don't ask, sorry.**

**Hi Alice, it's me, Swan. I'm sorry it's taken me so long since I have talked to you and that I disappeared without a word. I can't tell you where I am or why I left, I just hope that this whole mess is over soon and that we can talk in person and I can give you your present for missing your birthday. I'm so sorry. How have you been? I've been well, I'm actually great, and I have some things I'd love to talk with you about, get your advice and everything. **

**The name thing? Well, no one can know that I contacted you, and no one can know who I am or where I am, like I said before. Sorry. I promise, promise, that when it's all over, I promise I'll tell you everything. Just don't ask me anything about it. **

**-Swan**

**P.S. Make sure you delete the email.**

I shut my computer and log onto my new email account on my phone so I can keep checking it, before going downstairs to wash the dishes. After I'm done with the dishes, Edward comes downstairs, his face looking grim. "Your Dad called."

"What's wrong? What did he say?"

"We're moving?" He sits on the barstool and looks at lap.

"What? What do you mean we're moving? We just got here. Why!?" I panic, "seriously? We just got here! It's barely been 3 months, I'm barely starting school, and I just got a job."

"Were putting the house on the market and selling everything except for a few things. We're changing numbers though."

"What, why? Tell me why? Where are we going? What's going on?"

"Your dad sent me an email the other day, they know that he's been traveling to Seattle, it's only a matter of time before they find out where you are exactly. So were moving and your Dad is afraid that he will be followed into the next location. So he won't be calling or visiting once we hit the next location. We have 2 weeks to pack a few things and then we will be renting a small moving man and heading to a small city near Chicago, Illinois."

I sit on the counter and put my feet up and hug them close to my chest, "Why didn't he tell me himself? Why didn't you tell me before? Where will we live? What about school? What about our jobs? Our small jobs."

"I guess it was easier for him, to not say good bye to you, not wanting to risk it. I didn't tell you because your dad hasn't made a decision yet, he called me while you showered and confirmed just now. We'll be looking for a small house in Joliet, Illinois. You can drop your online classes and sign up again over there. Our jobs," He chuckles, "Well get another one."

"Why such a random city? What's in Joliet?"

"Well, we thought that instead of a small town, being in a big city, or well, near a big city would be much better as a hiding place. People notice you less."

"I was starting to like Forks."

**Present**

We called our boss later that day, and quit our jobs. We used a few boxes that we had in the garage and packed my books first. On the 28th, we called U-Haul to rend a small moving van for the following week, we looked online for a small house in Joliet, and we bagged a grand majority of our clothes. Still no response from Alice. By the 29th, the snow had finally stopped and I dropped my online classes. By the 30th, we were able to go into town and buy more boxes to get ready for our move. It depressed me to think that I had to move again, that I had to leave this little town that had slowly started to grow on me. On the bright side Edward stayed by my side, and at night, he held me as I ranted about the things I would miss in Forks, and he tried to tell me about all the things that I would love in Chicago. In the moment, it had never occurred to me to ask him how he knew so much about Chicago, but that's a story for later.

We had yet to kiss, while we did share a bed at night, it didn't go further than that. Until New Year's Eve.

**December 31****st**** 2013**

"Well, we found a house, so that should cheer you up; I think you'll like it." Edward turns towards me as I sit on the sofa next to him. He turns the computer so I can see the details of the house.

"I would say, it's great, it'll be loads of fun to furnish it, but what the point, what if we move again in 3 months." What am I complaining about, this is my Dads fault, if he simply dropped the case, I wouldn't be threatened by anyone, so I might as well take advantage of this. "But what else can we do, we have to fit in right? So furnish it we shall."

Edward smiles at me and shuts the computer before placing it on the table in front of us. "Do you have everything packed? We have to return the car tomorrow and get the U-Haul to head to Joliet on Thursday."

"Yeah, it's all packed, ready to throw everything in the truck and we just have to take the mattresses." I lie down on the couch, put my feet up on Edward's lap and look at the ceiling.

"Bella." I turn to look at Edward, "Everything will be alright, you'll like Chicago, and before you know it, this whole thing will be over."

"Yeah, you're right." I look back to the ceiling before I get an idea, "Where the box with board games?"

"By the door, I think they are in a red box." He looks at me confused. I get up and head towards the kitchen, grabbing a knife, before heading towards the door to locate the box. Once I find it I open the box and pull out Jenga and Scrabble and head towards the kitchen. "I know what we're going to do today!"

I pull out a tile of the bag and get the letter K, then watch as Edward does the same and pulls out an S.

"Ha! I start again!" I laugh. This is our 5th game and so far, it's a tie. We each pull out 7 tiles and set them on their little stand, I look down at my letters. T-I-H-R-S-S-G. After a minute of looking down at my letters, I make the word K-I-S-S with the K that was already there. I write down my points. Edward turns to look at me for a brief second before smiling and looking down at his tiles. After a minute he adds an I-N-G to my word. I look at my new letters again and put down R-I-G-H-T, using one of the I's that was already on the board, I get new tiles and look at them, planning my next work O-R-E-N-W-O-D.

"OH!" Edward exclaims before setting down the word T-O-M-O-R-R-O-W. We continue to play and then this is how the game went.

Me: N-O-W

Edward: W-H-A-T

Me: M-A-Y-B-E

Edward: L-E-T-S- -G-O

Me: T-O-N-I-G-H-T

Edward: O-K-A-Y

I'm almost sure I'm imagining the whole game, but after Edward writes out O-K-A-Y, I set my tiles down and get up, "Food!" I yell out, "I'm hungry, let's eat dinner." If I sit there any longer, who knows what the tiles will spell out, surely there was better words I could've written, I KNOW I could've, but I mean, I can't stop thinking about kissing Edward since I set down that first word.

After dinner we head back to the living room and play Jenga, that ought to get my mind away from the thoughts of kissing Edward. It doesn't work so well. I drop the tower the first 2 games and in our third, my leg won't stop shaking.

"Stop moving, Bella!" Edward places his left hand on my knee to keep it from moving, before leaning forward and starting to move another piece. I can't do it anymore. He starts to pull his hand away, to remove the piece without dropping the tower, but I grab it and keep it on my knee. He turns to look at me, "I know you're bad at Jenga and all, but cheating is not a good way to win, Bella. Besides I bet I could still beat you with one hand."

"Really now?" I watch him as he carefully tries to move his piece with only his right hand, I smirk, waiting for him to get closer to the piece, before pinching his side, causing him to jerk sideways and knock the whole tower down. I giggle, "yeeeeeaah, looks like you didn't beat me with one hand."

He turns to look at me, slowly, with a serious face before grinning wickedly, "That was just mean and uncalled for, Swan." He moves his left hand and puts it on the couch behind me, "That was cheating, what should we do about cheaters?" He leans in closer to me, oh god I hope he kisses me, I lean in closer to him right before his hands move towards my sides and before I know it his tickling me and I squeal loudly before quickly rolling to the floor before getting up and moving away.

"No! I hate being tickled" I laugh and plead at the same time, slowly backing away and he gets up.

"Cheating is bad, you cheated," He smiles at me as he moves closer. I turn and run out of the living room as he chases after me, I run up the stairs and into me bedroom before shutting the door behind me and heading towards the bathroom. I hear the door open, peek around the bathroom door and see as Edward turns on the closet light, looking for me. I quickly leave the bathroom and make a run for his room, giggling as I do, right before I'm able to reach his closet to hide in, he grabs me around the waist and picks me up as I squeal once more. He throws me onto his bed and starts tickling my sides as I keep trying to move away. "Say sorry, for making me loose," He laughs along with me, maybe at me and my face that probably resembles a strawberry, "cheating isn't good, say it, Swan, say it!."

He leaves me alone just long enough for me to gasp out, "Sorry! Cheating isn't good… Unless you don't get caught." He starts tickling my neck and I shrug my shoulders to make it harder for him to reach, "AH! Sorry! Sorry, okay, you win! Cheating isn't good, sorry for making you lose." I laugh.

"And don't you forget." He laughs at me as I try to catch my breath. Tickling is some cruel type of pain, why do we laugh when in reality it kind of hurts. I don't have much time to ponder on the tickling pain, before I feel Edward's lips on mine. I'm surprised for a microsecond before I kiss him back. FINALLY!

I put my arms around his neck and pull him closer. He puts his hands next to my shoulders to support his weight, but I want nothing more than to feel him closer to me. I sit up and scoot father up the bed and pull him up with me. Thankfully, he doesn't protest. I ease back down onto the bed, pull him on top me and wrap my legs around him as he kisses my neck.

**Present**

After that, things between us changed, we got closer. Things were normal for a while.

**They didn't have sex.**

**Yet.**

**But warning, I probably wont go into details with sex, I am not good at writing those.**

**I'm not creative when it comes to writing sex scenes, I have zero experience with those.**

**Anyways, the Scrabble thing, yeah, the words work, like if you played it out on a board, it would work out.**

**Reviews make me happy.**

**Ciao**

**-Val**


	12. Chapter 11

**So yeah this is a work of fiction, next update I shall be uploading visuals! So you can see the new house and the rooms and everything.**

**IM so freaking sorry for taking to long to update, finals where coming up and stress and … okay shit was happening and I forgot . which is horrible because I already have chapters finished, I simply had to upload them.**

**Nearly 5 thousand story views though! Thanks ! That's beyond amazing**

**Im skipping a few days in the story, the whole scene in which they travel from Forks to Chicago.**

**Bella**

**Present**

It took us 3 Days to get to Joliet, we stayed in motels and drove long hours. It wasn't that bad though, we discussed the new house and how we would furnish it. Edward hadn't cared much for the whole decorating but he humored me. Right before we arrived to Joliet, we discussed sleeping arrangements. We didn't really discuss if we were a couple of not, but we both agreed that we would turn the second bedroom in the house into a small study area. It was clear to the both of us that we simply wouldn't be able to go back to the formal thing we had when he first took the job as my body guard. I mean we would still be together, he could still protect me. If you ask me, us sharing a room simply made his job easier, he could look after me better.

**January 6, 2014**

Were about an hour away from Joliet and I just cant wait to get out of the truck and see the new house in person.

"Im just going to pull out the matresses in the first room and crash. You can take out everything we packed." I say as I look at the window as we pass the highway.

"Well are you just Santa's little helper." Edward looks at me for a brief second with a deep look of sarcasm.

"Youre the strong one between us," I say, smiling at him, "Besides what if I pull a muscle or something, you have to keep me nice and safe." Im not being serious, but it was nice to kid around.

"Yes, Ma'am" He says seriously, but with a raised eyebrow as he keeps his eyes on the road.

About 45 minutes later, we arrive at the house and the realtor is waiting outside. I jump out of the truck and walk towards her.

"Hi, my name is Charlotte, you must be Mrs. Cullen." Charlotte approaches me with her hand extended, "you must be Mr. Cullen, we spoke on the phone." She shakes Edwards hand before turning towards the house, a one floor grayish house, with a brick pathway and a white porch. We head inside, past the great room and into the kitchen. "You can go ahead and take a look around as I get the final papers for you to sign, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen."

Edward and I walk out of the kitchen and take a left down the hall. Theres a small utility room and a washer room. Next to the utility room theres the bathroom with 2 sinks, a linen cabinet and a bath shower combo. After the bathroom and at the end of the hall there was the 2 bedrooms, one across of the other. First we walk to the one on the left, the closet had a 2 folding white doors, I open it, it's a fairly small closet, but it should be big enough for the both of us, its not like we have that many clothes, or people to impress, but I hope the other room has bigger space. We head into the next room, which is the same size as the first one, but it has a bigger walk in closet.

"Lets make the other room the study room." I say as I admire the closet and the shelves inside it.

"Sounds good to me," Edward wraps his arms around my waist and places his chin on my shoulder. I turn around and kiss him. Charlotte calls us before we get too carried away. "Ill go finish singing the papers."

"Ill start bringing in some of the boxes." I chuckle a bit out of breath. He leaves the room and I follow, heading out towards the small moving van. I open the back of the van and look towards the house. I really like this house, I hope we can stay in it. Maybe I can stay here for college, and when this is all over, I could see Charlie more often, since hes always on the east coast for cases. Before I get the boxes in which we reboxed the laptops in, I stop. When this is all over, what will happen with Edward? I hadnt asked him what he really wanted to do after he was done, he didn't want to be a bodyguard again, but what did he want to do? And where did he want to do it? Whatever this was, when this was all over, did that mean we were over too? I turn and grab the first box and walk towards the porch to put down the box as Charlotte and Edward come out the door.

"Ill be in touch with you to send you the papers, then. Good day Mr. Cullen, Mrs. Cullen, so nice to meet you. Enjoy your new home." She smiles and heads down the driveaway and towards her car. We wave as she turns the corner of the neighborhood.

"Lets unpack" Edward smiles and he heads towards the van and I follow, not wanting to ask him about what I was just thinking about just yet.

About an hour and a half later, we managed to place all of the things from the van and into the great room to be sorted out later. I grab my purse as we head back into the van to return it and rent a car.

Its 8 a night by the time were back with the new car, another GMC, a large white board I made Edward buy, and food from a local Italian place.

We place the 2 mattresses we brought from Forks, and sit down to eat after placing bedsheets on them. I grab the white board and put it to me right and grab a black marker as I take a bite of pasta.

"Sleeping on the floor, in a mattress in an empty house, I can cross that from my list. The house in Forks sold already?" I ask Edward as I start writing on the board 'Visit Furniture Shop'.

"Yeah, some old couple bought contacted the realtor yesterday and they loved it, the man wife wanted to get away from the city now that they were retired. Apperently they were originally from Forks."

"That's great, we can use that money to buy most of the furniture, for now, we need basics. So its lists time."

**Get internet and cable**

**Grocery store**

**Nails and hammer**

"Nails and hammer?" questions Edward. I laugh.

"Well im not just going to throw the white board away, we need to hang it up. I was thinking over there," I point to the open space next to the back door.

"Sure, that way we can always see it."

"Exactly."

**Sign up for online classes.**

"I really need to finish my senior year, I want to start college soon… Speaking of which, I was thinking. You said that you didn't want to be a bodyguard anymore, after me… What do you want to do?" I bite my lip, looking at the whiteboard, trying to look nonchalant.

"I was thinking maybe signing up at the local college, start a career. Finally stay rooted on one spot. I like Chicago, I might stay here, or come back."

"Yeah, I was thinking that earlier today, while I do miss California, you know I do, I really like this house, and I would be closer to my dad. Besides, since the house in California was sold, I think this one would be great to keep. Besides, I don't think my friends miss me so much." I still haven't heard from Alice.

"I find that hard to believe. Besides how would you know?" he looks at me, frowning.

"What?"

"That your friends don't miss me, im sure theyre dying without you. I would." He takes a bite to eat then freezes, as if he hadnt really meant to admit that, he looks at me and smiles, blushing slightly before going back to his food.

"I would miss you too," I smile at the top of his head, "and I just know. So I might as well furnish this house nicely, because I plan on staying… or coming back." I decide not to tell him about the email.

**Print pictures**

"Print pictures?" Edward says with a mouthful of food.

"Yeah," I get up and get the 2 white laptop boxes, I open them both and get my laptop out along with the charger and connect it before looking for my camera box. "This place needs to look homey, we need pictures." I sit back down on the bed, charging both of the devices while I continue to eat.

"True, we do need to seem normal," Edward takes his phone out and before I really register what he's going, he takes a picture of me stuffing my face with chicken alfredo, "We definetly need to print that one" He laughs and put the phone back into his hoodie.

"Ill get you back for that, you just wait." I take another bite of food.

After we finish eating, I take the empty cartons into the kitchen, the place the white board standing up againt the wall next to the fireplace. I head back to the mattresses as Edward turns on the camera, looking through the pictures. As I lie back down on the mattress and place the computer in front of us, I turn it on and take the camera from Edward, to take the chip from it and place it into the computer.

"We only have the Christmas ones, but we can work on that. If we ever have people over, we need to have pictures that seem from the past." In reality I just want a reason to have one of him as my wallpaper, and be able to stare at him without being creepy.

"We'll work on that," He smiles at me as he opens a folder on the computer and titles it 'E&amp;B', "Let's start picking then."

**There you go, a small cutesy little chapter.**

**Okay so something I should add, Bella wont be pregnant because of the sex from last chapter, shes on the pill. In Forks she went to the Doctor and got a prescription and simply had it transferred to Chigago.**

**THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION XD **

**Also, keep that in mind, houses don't usually sell and get bought that fast. Theres a lot of paper work involved and its very boring xD Uhm yeah, I hope you enjoued the chapter. Reviews make me super happy.**


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